2020-2021: Kamen Rider Saber

[Toku Prime]

Amazons Season 2 was great. I don't know why people keep trashing it.

I will save you an extremely long rant and simply say Chihiro/Iyu is a toxic relationship. They should not be together. If she ever regained her freewill then it would end in (probably violent) tragedy.

And if the story was about a literal manchild who destroys the very thing he wants due to his own lack of maturity, that would be understandable. Heck, his Amazon form even feels like symbolism for this, given that he's a literal giant monster.

But no, the show seems to want us to actually root for them, as if this was a tragic romance in the tradition of Romeo and Juliet. And I am not on board with that for a single second. I would have serious concerns about anyone who did.

Add onto that how everything from season one is put on pause to make room for this "romance" and the new characters are all complete psychopaths who seem to have no function beyond building you up to cheer if/when they die. I don't know what there is to like about it really?

Maybe I'm just so disillusioned with the regular show that anything Amazons-related is a gem by comparison, but I had a lot of fun with both seasons, and the movie.

The first season is a throwback to the early Heisei "j-drama" style shows. Personally I'd say that, except for Kuuga, that's my least favourite era of Rider. I much prefer either the Showa stuff or whatever you want to call everything from Den-O onward. So I wasn't wild about s1, but it was what it was.

The movie was probably the best part of Amazons. It attempted to wrap up as much of the plot points from season one as possible, it almost entirely ignored the second season, and it had plenty of action. Also, it very clearly showed that Jin was a villain, which a lot of people seemed to misinterpret from s1.

 

[Captain Shark]

So Shinji always tripping in Ryuki

My memory must be getting worse since I can't remember this happening.

 

[Shogun_Master]

There was that, the grandma who ran the shop, a couple of silly episodes like the golden crawfish story or the episode where Gai tries to blackmail ORE for his own amusement, there was the really wierd tech girl who always sat in the corner of the ORE office & just said & did the most bizarre things they could think of.

Actually, I tried to get my little brother to watch Ryuki & told him it was more serious. He got as far as the first time that lady came on screen, then turned around & sarcastically went, "oh, yeah. You're totally right." It was trying to be a darker, more serious show, but it had fun every so often.

I kind of agree on Amazons. I had to force myself to watch season 2 because it had little to nothing to do with the story I was already invested it & now I can barely remember what even happened in it.

 

[Black Fang]

I will save you an extremely long rant and simply say Chihiro/Iyu is a toxic relationship. They should not be together. If she ever regained her freewill then it would end in (probably violent) tragedy.

That's kinda the whole point. Amazons and Rider has a whole is steeped in tragedy.

And if the story was about a literal manchild who destroys the very thing he wants due to his own lack of maturity, that would be understandable. Heck, his Amazon form even feels like symbolism for this, given that he's a literal giant monster.

But no, the show seems to want us to actually root for them, as if this was a tragic romance in the tradition of Romeo and Juliet. And I am not on board with that for a single second. I would have serious concerns about anyone who did.

Add onto that how everything from season one is put on pause to make room for this "romance" and the new characters are all complete psychopaths who seem to have no function beyond building you up to cheer if/when they die. I don't know what there is to like about it really?

Funny, I didn't get that vibe at all. Either you're all watching a different show or your just have totally different thought processes.

The first season is a throwback to the early Heisei "j-drama" style shows. Personally I'd say that, except for Kuuga, that's my least favourite era of Rider.

Perhaps this is the crux of it all. The best era of Rider was the Kuuga-Hibiki years. Maybe the very early part of Kabuto as well.

Also, it very clearly showed that Jin was a villain, which a lot of people seemed to misinterpret from s1.

Not really. He's not the "Muahaha I'm EEEVVIILLL!!" character if that'd what you mean. It's just the idea of the desire to "do good" can lead one to evil deeds. Amazons just repeats Kobayashi's penchant for her Rider shows having two main characters at odds with each other and having to get along somehow.

Being dark and edgy doesn't make it good. All it did was make it pretentious.

I saw little difference between Season 1 and Season 2. Frankly my only real issues wirh Amazons were exactly what the Amazons were supposed to be (the show's not very clear on it) and that there was no real takedown of Nozama, or even some confrontation with the old President/Founder/whatever.

 

[Dr Kain]

I saw little difference between Season 1 and Season 2.

True, but Amazons Season 2 was so emo that I'm surprised My Chemical Romance didn't appear in it.

 

[Toku Prime]

It's been reported that the main suit actor for Saber will not be Yuya Nawata, who played Zero-One.

Instead it will be Kosuke Asai, whose previous roles include Cheeda Nick, Kyoryu Green, ToQ #6, AkaNinger, ZyuOh Eagle, Kamen Rider Chronus, Lupin Red, and most recently Kamen Rider Vulcan.

 

[Shogun_Master]

I'm still trying to find the opening theme somewhere, bit in the meantime, here is Kamen Rider Saber's official end theme.

Ok, here is a press release on the subject that features it. You have to skip to about 1:20 to hear a snippet of it.

 

[Shogun_Master]

Saber just premiered today.

I haven't seen it, but it looks likely that if we get subs at all, they won't be very good. Rangerboard has noted that at least two groups have opted out. I can't tell if it's because they aren't interested, or because Rider is finally beginning to move into the US market & they're concerned about liability.

Still, if Shout Factory is releasing these shows, now, & everything works out, we'll probably get it here eventually.

First henshin, which is interestingly different from what we got in the earlier preview clip:

Also, the ending dance sequence, featuring a hostage cast.

 

[Dr Kain]

So Over-Time has said they will not be subbing the show which means the first episode must be pretty bad considering they still subbed Zi-O and Ryusoulger.

 

[Shogun_Master]

From what people have been saying, it's definitely different & they're not sure what to make of it. Mostly campy & plot heavy. Plus, Overtime made this decision days ago, so that may not be the reason. I've also considered that it may be legal, & someone noted that they and some other subbers did receive a cease & desist letter when Shout announced that they were doing Kuuga, but it was only explicitly related to subbing Kuuga. So, who knows.